


Behave

by Giuly99jb



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Book/Movie 1: The Hunger Games, Canon Compliant, F/M, Hayffie Summer Week, Hugs, Hunger Games, drunk hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 15:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20194588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Giuly99jb/pseuds/Giuly99jb
Summary: “The crowd responds with its token applause, but he is confused and tries to give Effie Trinket a big hug, which she barely manages to fend off.”Day 6 of the Hayffie Summer Week: Quote me a Hayffie





	Behave

It’s more than ten minutes that Effie Trinket was sitting on the corner of the bed, thinking about Seneca’s words of the previous year, his voice ringing in her ears.

“_You can stay at 12 for another year, but if you are not lucky you will be relieved of all your duties. And well, I don't think you could easily find another job later._ "

She should have accepted the second alternative and moved to District 4.

  
It would have been the right choice to make, it would have been the logical thing. And instead she had exposed herself so blatantly to be almost ridiculous.

  
But she trusted Seneca and she hoped he had not mentioned her refusal with anyone, except his superiors. At least she would be able to continue her little farce complaining about how she couldn’t wait to get a promotion.

She had started doing that work during the 62nd edition of the reality show and she had had a thousand doubts.  
Her certainties had collapsed, her desires had changed – She’s changed. Hopelessly.

Maybe it was good. Working for District 4 would have changed anything? She would still have to come back every year for a reaping and she would have to keep watching two kids die. Of course, the tributes of 4 have much more chances, but in all honesty 1 and 2 were the one that won the most and with much more frequency.

The 4th had no other winners after Annie Cresta and four years have passed, before her Finnick had won five more years before. Two winners in nine years, considering that she wouldn’t be able to continue doing this work for a long time, it wasn't worth it.

The only thing that would have changed was also the main reason she’s stayed.

She hadn’t wanted to abandon Haymitch to himself. She hadn’t wanted him to have to deal with someone other than her year after year.

That was the thirteenth year they would have worked together.  
She was his escort and he was her mentor – it could not work in any other way.

She tried not to think about the fact that the next year it would not be like that.  
She would probably watch the Games at home - fired a year before the Third Edition of the Memory. Her mother would be _so happy _...

She didn’t think to ask that much after all. Only two tributes a little more interesting than usual. Someone who could help her to keep her job for a few more years.

Trying not to think about all of that anymore, Effie got up and went to the bathroom- she had at least five hours to prepare herself and then she would be in twelve.

**XxX**

  
The square was still empty, but soon it would be full of young people from twelve to eighteen and two will have to reach Effie on the stage that they have not yet finished assembling.

She almost stumbled over a big cable that two men were dragging slowly, so she thought that it would be better to be more careful where to put her feet.

Walking on those pebbles with stiletto heels wasn’t the easiest of activities, but now she’d made it a habit.

The mayor was already waiting for her and welcomed her with his usual kindness. Every year he has less and less hair on his head.

The crowd began to gather at one o’clock and then Mrs Undersee joined them. They welcomed each other and just exchanged a few courtesies before leaving and taking their seats.

Haymitch had not arrived yet, but the live broadcast wouldbegin in an hour. There was still some time left before she would start to worry.

He would do better to introduce himself and behave well. He knew perfectly well how much this last opportunity that Seneca had given her counted for her. Just because it was practically impossible to get more time and to have the job another year, didn’t mean he had permission not to even try his best.

She had been pretty clear about that – _let’s get it noticed and you won't have to deal with another escort, she had said him._

She knew that hoping was ridiculous, and she had already resigned herselfto the idea of having to leave, but _why not try?, she asked herself._

Her eyes went to the two large glass bowls in front of them. They were full of carefully folded notes.  
And helplessly, she wondered who she would reaped that year.

She squeezed her knees as she looked up to the giant screens that the technicians were finishing fixing and then she turned to the cameramen, intent on fixing the cameras.

She looked at the clock again with growing anxiety, while she waited for the two o’clock to arrive - _She hated these moments._

Perhaps that would be her last reaping, she would do well to enjoy it. Her face would no longer appear on Panem's screens.

Instinctively she took a mirror from her skirt pocket and quickly checked herself - makeup and hair were perfect, nothing would have ruined that last stage.

As the square filled up more and more, she kept glancing nervously at the empty chair next to her.  
Haymitch should be here by now. She turned to look at the other chair occupied by the mayor and she realized that he wasn’t neither happy.

“Maybe he felt sick," Effi ventured with a smile and a light tone.

  
He didn’t answer immediately, he made his eyes wandered over the crowd and then turned to her. "Maybe," he answered, but she wasn’t even sure he had really listened to what she had said.

After a while, however, the mayor looked back at Haymitch's chair and leant towards Effie - whom did the same - and then he started to talk in a whisper. "Probably he won't come, we should send someone to pick him up."

She should have thought of that before. Surely he had passed out on the floor of his house, in a pool of his own vomit.

"Oh, I'm sure it won't be a problem to start without him," she said, trying to smile, but if she had been honest she would have liked to know what had happened to that man. Plus, she didn’t seem to ask too much, just to behave in a civil manner for two weeks a year.

It's almost two o'clock now, they couldn’t wait any longer.

The mayor checked the pocket watch and took a final, resigned look at Haymitch's empty seat. "We have to start."

Effi sighed, moving into the chair and exchanging a look with one of the cameramen. He gave her a quick nod and she gave one to the mayor.

At the exact two o’clock, he got up and went up onto the platform.

Effie barely listened to what he said.  
Finally the mayor started to list the list of winners and he arrived almost at the half of them, when Haymitch decided to introduce himself.

He stumbled towards the stage, terribly drunk. Effie felt her heart beat faster as he slowly went up the stairs.

  
_Please don't fall_, she found herself thinking, while the cameras framed him.

She didn’t know how but he managed to reach her and sat down heavily beside her. An acid smell of liquor reached Effie and she had to turn her head on the other side, trying not to crack her brightful smile.

The district welcomed his arrival with a round of applause and for a moment Effie hoped it ended there, but then she found him on her without warning and she jumped out of the way, discreetly grabbing one of the hands that had tried to grab her. He gave her a sloppy kiss on the side of her neck, while taking in her perfume.

“_Behave_ Haymitch!” She hissed through clenched teeth, furious.

He sat down again, muttering something and Effie turned to look at the big screen above their heads, which was now right on her.

She forced herself to smile as the mayor called her and she got up too.  
The wig was in the wrong place, this time she knew that she would kill him. She would really kill him.

She had asked him one thing and now all Capitol City would be laughing at her. She could already hear the jokes of Anya and Amita, the escorts of districts 10 and 3.

Obviously, her last television appearance was to ridicule herself and the district she represented in front of all Panem.

She almost wanted to cry, but she forced a happy smile before announcing cheerfully "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odd be ever in your favor!”

**Author's Note:**

> I watched Hunger Games in 2013, after watching CF’s trailer and I fell in love with Effie and Haymitch. I thought I was the only one and I still didn’t know any blogs or website about FF. Then CF made them one of my fave ships ever and when I started to read the books, that “line” made me love them even more. I had loved that he tried to hug her when he was drunk. They are now my top 4 OTP ever or my TOP three alongside with Falice. Romione is still my top one and OutlawQueen is my 2nd ahha. Anyway, when I read that part of the book I was sad that the movie didn’t show us that part. But I’m glad we had got our endgame and the kiss.  
Anyway, I hope you will like this little and simple one-shot. We will “see” tomorrow with the last prompt of the last day of the Hayffie Summer Week
> 
> P.s I’m still waiting for a Hayffie spin-off


End file.
